[Satellite TODAY 06-15-10] Hughes Network Systems has been awarded an IDIQ contract by the State of Oregon to provide Hughes Broadband Internet and Access Continuity services via its Spaceway 3 satellite system, the company announced June 14.
    The three-year contract vehicle makes Hughes’ service available to state agencies, local governments, and school districts that are members of the Oregon Cooperative Purchasing Program and may be extended for an additional three years.
    Hughes will provide the state with broadband Internet at downlink speeds of up to 5 Mbps and uplink speeds of up to 1Mbps. The company also will provide full turnkey help desk support for Internet access and optional IP Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity to provide videoconferencing, Voice over IP (VoIP), data sharing and applications, and content distribution for remote software upgrades.
    “Oregon, like all states, is trying to maximize its resources and find ways to operate more effectively as it serves its citizens. With this contract, the State of Oregon has expanded the networking potential for its public sector in three key ways:  enabling the cost-effective delivery of the high-bandwidth applications that are increasingly necessary to carry out the day-to-day operations of government; providing a resilient networking option if land-based networks fail; and delivering broadband service to public sector entities that currently cannot access it—a problem shared by 20 percent of all Oregon households,” Hughes Assistant Vice President of Government Solutions Tony Bardo said in a statement.
    Hughes has similar contract vehicles in place with Texas, Colorado, New York, Virginia and other state governments. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.